LO Little Leaguers get some prime time exposure

The Lakers have had a taste of the big-time in the past 24 hours. Shortly after the team's 1-0 win over Massachusetts, members of the Lake Oswego Little League team were interviewed live on ABC before attending a press conference with manager Craig Ramey.

Not long afterward, the entire team was invited to ESPN's set looking over Howard J. Lamade Field for a brief interview with the in-game crew.

'Erin Andrews is cool. She was great,' Harrison Ramey said of the ESPN reporter.

The team got to talk about its dramatic victory with all of them receiving camera time. The interview ended with Lake Oswego breaking into a 'Lakers' chant.

'It was a lot of fun. I know it didn't seem like we were up there for long but the kids got to hang out for about half an hour and took pictures with the whole crew,' coach Ramey said.

Then, on Monday morning, the Lakers got to meet Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard. Howard, last year's National League Rookie of the Year, was in town briefly to meet with all of the teams and take pictures with them. He was also slated to throw out the first pitch at the opening game on Monday but it was rained out.

'He's a really nice guy. It was pretty fun,' Harrison Ramey said.

Howard also gave a short speech to the teams, leaving them with words of inspiration.

'I told them to keep working hard. It's fun for me because I'm a fan of theirs as well,' Howard said.

Howard also told the teams that he and other major league ball players watch the Little League games in the clubhouse.

'That was cool. It makes you feel special,' Harrison Ramey said.

Howard said he was surprised at how big and how skilled the players at the Little League World Series are.

'Some of these guys are my height. You watch them and you think they might want to move the fences back a bit,' Howard said, later joking that he might be able to bunt the ball over these park's 215-foot fences.

He also told a story about hitting a home run as a 12-year old that traveled an estimated 400 feet and hit a Red Lobster restaurant.

Howard also made sure that the teams recognized how unique of an experience playing in the World Series is.

'I'm sure this feeling for them is like what it was for me when I got called up to the big leagues. These kids are an elite group,' Howard said.

Unfortunately, Howard was only in Williamsport for a short time before catching a flight back to Philadelphia for a scheduled night game.